By Jaime Ortega.
The Human Rights Council of the United Nations agreed on Wednesday to launch an investigation into the ground invasion initiated by Israel in the Gaza Strip and it will send to a commission to investigate possible human rights violations and war crimes committed by Israel.
Inquiries should cover the period from June 13, and includes the identification of those responsible for the crimes and recommend measures to be judged by their actions.
The resolution that gives rise to this investigation found the outright rejection of the United States, Israel’s main ally, which has been the only country to vote against taking the view that its content is “destructive” and does not contribute to the cessation of hostilities.
Voting results, with the orientation of each country.
The Deputy State Department spokesman Marie Harf, found that the decision of the Human Rights Council “is the latest in a series of anti-Israel partisan actions”. In this regard reiterated Washington’s support for Israel “even if that means supporting them alone, and I think this is what you saw today.”
Harf also claimed that “no one is looking at the missiles Hamas. Nobody has proposed anything more than look at Israel in this case,” She said.
Besides the US, the resolution was approved by a vote with 29 states in favor (mostly Arabs, Muslims and emerging countries) and 17 abstentions (mainly Western countries, led by France, Germany and United Kingdom).
The UN also notes that Israel’s attacks should be considered “war crimes”.
The commission will examine the Israeli military operations “to prevent and end impunity and ensure that those responsible are subject to justice,” said the resolution, which “condemns in the strongest terms the widespread and systematic violations of human rights and freedoms flowing from Israel’s military operations. “In one paragraph, the text also condemns violence against Israelis and mentions two Israeli civilians killed by the impact of rockets fired by Hamas.
The decision comes 16 days after the start of the Israeli offensive. The record to date is 670 Palestinians and 34 Israelis killed, along with more than 4,000 injured and more than 100,000 displaced. Three Israeli soldiers were killed Wednesday in Gaza in clashes with Palestinian fighters.
Before the vote, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay criticized both Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas for the high number of civilian casualties left by the current conflict.
The outrage of Israel
Israel has described as “parody” the decision of the Human Rights Council to investigate the crimes and violations of international law that have been committed in its military operation in Gaza.
“The Board’s decision is a travesty that must be rejected by all decent people,” says a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Instead of investigating Hamas is committing a double war crime of firing rockets at Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians, the HRC (Human Rights Council of the UN) calls for an investigation of Israel, which has reached unprecedented extremes to keep out of harm Palestinian civilians, including dropping leaflets, making phone calls and sending text messages, “continues the statement.
The HRC should launch an investigation into the decision by Hamas to convert hospitals in military command centers, schools used as weapons depots and missile batteries placed next to playgrounds, private houses and mosques.
He adds, “by not condemning the systematic use of Hamas human shields and blaming Israel for the deaths caused by this grotesque political human shields the HRC is sending a message to Hamas and terrorist organizations worldwide that use of civilians as human shields is an effective strategy. ”
“The likely result will be to defame Israel and even increase the use of human shields in the future by Hamas who is going to pay the price, but will be not only the Israelis but to the Palestinians.”
untenable situation
Meanwhile, the director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Pierre Krähenbühl, considered that a simple return to the situation prior to the Israeli military offensive is not imaginable, as Palestinians in the Gaza Strip need life prospects, told the Swiss newspaper “Le Temps”.
“After eight years of blocking humanitarian situation is no longer sustainable,” he said.
In 2000 UNRWA supported while 80,000 people are currently 830,000. The camp manager is totally overcrowded. Before the Israeli military offensive thy were about 17,000 displaced Palestinians, and are currently 100,000. UNRWA to address them urgently needs $ 115 million (85 million euros).
Continued suspension of flights to Israel
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lasted another 24 hours ban airlines flying to this country to or from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv (Israel).
Because of the “potential danger created by the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza,” the FAA restriction remains in force issued Tuesday for cargo and passenger aircraft with American flags, said in a statement.
Air Berlin and Lufthansa group also decided to extend the suspension of its flights to and from that airport. This measure affects flights operated by Lufthansa, Germanwings, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines. “In close coordination with the relevant authorities, Lufthansa is constantly evaluating the security status of your network,” he adds. Turkish airlines also fly to the country at the moment, like Air France and others.
Meanwhile, Israeli Transport Minister Israel Katz said that no rocket could fall at Ben Gurion, near Tel Aviv, to try to persuade Western airlines to restore air traffic with their country international airport. “Without going into detail, there is no possibility that a rocket impact in Ben Gurion,” said the minister.
A statement to the spokesman of the U.S. State Department, Marie Harf, replied saying that Hamas has rockets that can reach the airport, although the evidence is not sufficient.
